College Sports Information Directors of America

Charlie Fiss – Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, VP of Communications
2019 CoSIDA 25-Year Award recipient

by Lawrence Fan, San José State University Athletic Media Relations Director

CoSIDA Hall of Famer Charlie Fiss is one of the most down-to-earth people in sports communications. He’ll wow you with a low-key, genuine, inquisitive and passionate approach to life. The long-time Vice President of Communications with the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, who will receive a CoSIDA 25-Year Award this June, traces it all back to a 1970s junior high football game in his hometown of Springdale, Arkansas.

One night, the football play-by-play broadcaster for KBRS AM-1340, a station that carried University of Arkansas football and St. Louis Cardinals baseball broadcasts, was unavailable to call a game. The fill-in turned out to be a young and bright night-time rock ‘n’ roll disc jockey Charlie Fiss. Think Lou Gehrig entering the New York Yankees lineup for Wally Pipp.

“Looking back on that day, I was panic stricken, to say the least.” Fiss said. “I had watched football all my life, but there’s a big difference between watching and broadcasting a game. Granted, it wasn’t the Super Bowl, but there would be a lot of moms and dads listening in to hear their son’s name.”

The broadcast went well that night. So well, in fact, that he lobbied to finish out the season. One year later, the announcing duties for high school football and basketball games fell into his lap and Charlie was hooked on a career in sports journalism.

“My background in radio, announcing football and basketball games on a weekly basis was instrumental in landing this student position,” said Charlie. “I learned so much working for Butch and Rick. However, in my mind, it really wasn’t work. Every day was an adventure.”

He traveled around the old Southwest Conference as a photographer, helped with press box operations, and served as a part-time analyst on the Razorbacks’ basketball network.

In the spring of 1980, he took another step. With a diploma finally in hand, Charlie joined the Arkansas women’s athletics program to become a fulltime member of the SID profession.

“I grew so much during the four years that I worked with the Lady Razorbacks,” said Fiss. “I didn’t have an assistant, so it was up to me to write and mail the news releases, serve as the public address announcer, broadcast games on the radio on occasion, and serve as staff photographer. Mix it all together and it was a tremendous learning experience.”

One of the biggest perks of becoming a fulltime SID was attending the 1980 CoSIDA workshop in Kansas City.

“My first national convention was truly an eye-opening experience,” said Fiss. “Even though I had met a lot of SIDs as a student at Arkansas, I was awestruck by coming face-to-face with people like Bill Little of Texas, Bud Ford and Haywood Harris of Tennessee, Don Bryant of Nebraska, Nick Vista of Michigan State, David Housel of Auburn, and Langston Rogers of Ole Miss. They were SIDs that I looked up to and tried my best to emulate.”

Charlie spent four years with the Arkansas women’s program before moving on to the Southwest Conference office in Dallas, a position that eventually led to a 34-year career with the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association as media director.

“Two days before the 1985 Cotton Bowl Classic – a Boston College versus Houston game – I was asked to step in and manage the press box, Fiss said. “Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie was the game’s star attraction. Yes, my head was spinning for many reasons, but it was a grand start to my involvement with a bowl game that I had grown up watching on television every New Year’s Day.”

Fiss has gained numerous honors in his career. Collecting the Bert McGrane Award, symbolic of devoted service to the Football Writers Association of America, preceded his 2017 CoSIDA Hall of Fame induction. Charlie’s also well known for his affiliation with the Kentucky Derby and Big 12 post-season men’s basketball.

“As I look back on my career, I’m amazed at how fortunate I was to meet the right people at the right time,” Fiss said. “Coach Broyles, Butch and Rick, SWC Commissioner Fred Jacoby, Associate Commissioner Dutch Baughman, and Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker made everything possible. No doubt about it, I’ve been blessed in a special way.”

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